Honda NX500

Honda has tweaked the front and side profiles of the erstwhile-available CB500X for the NX500, and in the process, the motorcycle has become fresher-looking in its appearance. It does have the stance of an adventure tourer, thanks to its tall stance at the front and an overall slim profile. 

At the front, the Honda NX500 now looks taller with a larger transparent windscreen above the new compact trapezoidal LED headlamp which has tapered edges around the corners and comes equipped with LED DRLs. However, this new windscreen is still not adjustable. The cowl around the new headlamp has also been redesigned, with its sides merging with the new fuel tank extensions. 

The fuel tank and its arrowhead-shaped extensions of this adventure motorcycle have been restyled too, with them now looking even sportier and more purposeful than before. The NX500 gets a sporty-looking blacked-out theme for the engine and its alloy wheels, with the compact exhaust pipe of the motorcycle having a brushed aluminium finish for the cover and tip. 

While the front profile has been tweaked extensively, Honda has made no changes to the rear section of the NX500, with the adventure tourer retaining the compact triangular LED tail lamp and the slim LED turn indicators from the CB500X. The tail section with integrated pillion grab handles and the long and comfortable touring seats have also been shared with the CB500X. 

Also new to the Honda NX500 is its 5-inch full-TFT instrument console, which has replaced the previous full-LCD unit of the CB500X. This modern-looking display screen has elegant and legible graphics and features a speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, odometer, trip meters, gear indicator and clock. There are new switches for the NX500 too, which are now even better finished and are easier to use than before. 

Besides the engine, Honda has made no changes to the rest of the mechanical hardware of the CB500X for the new NX500. Like its predecessor, the Honda NX500 also has a suspension setup of 41mm upside down separate functioning hydraulic telescopic forks from Showa at the front and pro-link mono-shock with a five-stage pre-load adjuster and steel hollow cross swing-arm at the back.

Riding on 17-inch alloy wheels, which come wrapped with 120/70-17 front and 160/60-17 rear tubeless tyres, the Honda NX500 is more suitable for long-distance touring and mild off-roading and not full-blown hardcore off-roading. This adventure tourer from Honda comes equipped with dual 296mm discs at the front and a single 240mm disc at the rear for braking duties. 

There are no changes to the four-stroke, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin, 471cc engine of the Honda NX500, which has been in existence for more than a decade now. Shared with other 500cc offerings from Honda, this middleweight engine develops a maximum power output of 47 bhp and a maximum torque output of 43 Nm. Paired with a 6-speed transmission, this parallel-twin engine returns a decent 29.9 kmpl fuel efficiency in the Honda NX500. 

Besides having a dual-channel ABS like its predecessor, the new Honda NX500 now also features Honda Selectable Torque Control, which is the Japanese brand’s version of traction control. However, there are no riding modes on offer in the NX500, which is a big miss for a motorcycle of its category. 

For those who want an adventure tourer that offers full-blown off-road riding ability, the Honda NX500 might come off as a disappointment. While it is an adventure tourer, the NX500 is more inclined towards relaxed long-distance touring, and if needed, it can do mild off-roading too. Rest assured, it is one well-engineered motorcycle with a bullet-proof engine, comfortable ride quality, and high-quality finish.